Chief: Tractor-trailer rear-ends fire truck

A tractor-trailer rear-ended a Prince George's
County fire truck
on the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway early
Wednesday, forcing the highway to
shut down and sending seven people -- including
four West Lanham firefighters --
to Prince George's Hospital Center.

WASHINGTON – Drivers on the Capital Beltway encountered severe delays Wednesday morning after a crash involving a fire truck and a tractor-trailer on the Inner Loop and a secondary accident on the Outer Loop.

The tractor-trailer rear-ended a Prince George’s County fire truck on the Inner Loop south of U.S. 50, forcing the interstate to shut down and sending seven people — including four West Lanham, Md., firefighters — to the hospital, Prince George’s Fire and EMS Chief Marc Bashoor said.

Sources say the fire truck attempted to make a U-turn from the left lane, but didn’t give drivers enough time to stop.

“A tractor-tractor on the Inner Loop apparently rear-ended the fire truck. The tractor-trailer and the fire truck both overturned,” Bashoor told WTOP at the scene.

Both then hit the retaining wall.

“An SUV on the Outer Loop also overturned. It was part of the secondary part to the accident,” Bashoor said.

Initially, the 2:45 a.m. Inner Loop crash closed both loops of the Beltway.

As of 12:40 p.m., all lanes of the Outer Loop were open. Two left lanes on the Inner Loop remained blocked.

Prince George’s County Fire and EMS transported the four West Lanham firefighters to hospitals. Three of the firefighters have been treated and released from Prince George’s Hospital Center. The fourth firefighter remains in surgery at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.